Giandomenico

Our beloved Giandomenico has died. Suffering from an incurable illness, he passed away at his house in Cortona at the age of 66 years old. He leaves behind not only us, but also his partner, and party comrade, and his daughter and grandson, all of whom loved him dearly.

He was a man of exceptional intelligence whose brilliant mind ranged over a vast array of topics, and everything he studied he did so with extreme sensitivity. His work was nourished by his wish to connect with others, particularly his party comrades, and the inspiration he provided them clearly shows in their work.

As a militant of the international working-class revolution, he dedicated his gifts and his vast knowledge to the cause of communism. For almost forty years he devoted his life to the party and dedicated his skill and passion to the methodical study of history, of doctrine, and to those teachings that are indispensable for ensuring the proletariat’s emancipation from wage slavery.

As a young man he saw to it that the party gained a hearing in the organisation of worker comrades in schools.

Later, in his small house in Val di Chiana, unbeknown to today’s working class, reserved and shy of all publicity (particularly as regards himself and his by no means small personality) he dedicated himself to a continuous and systematic work of research and elaboration, often delving into less explored realms, from which he would emerge with remarkable and surprising results. These, without fail, he would bring to the party at each reunion, where he would present them to us in an ‘off the cuff’ way, but in clear and rigorous terms accessible to all, smilingly explaining the hard-hitting dialectic, or with controlled disdain, unravelling it to make it accessible for the party press. Even when his illness had advanced to the stage where he could no longer travel, he wanted to remain linked to the collective rhythm of our little-known, but nevertheless highly important, battle; and although unable to present the reports himself, he would always make sure they were ready, in good time, to be read out at the party meetings.

The next generation of young communists, risen to their feet with an energy and self-sacrifice that today may seem misplaced, will find in his finely honed words – each of them chosen like a weapon, although fused within the body of the party’s collective production – both a denunciation of the countless dirty tricks and mean betrayals of our enemies, and a perfect, scientific resource, which they will find indispensable in the fight to destroy the monstrous enemy which presently dominates all of our lives.

Self-disciplined before all else, as only revolutionary Marxists know how to be, Giandomenico battled for five years with his terrible illness, supported by the love and incomparable strength of his partner. And in doing so, whilst displaying all the necessary determination, he nevertheless managed, right to the end, to maintain that serenity and capacity to enjoy life which comes from feeling part of a class and of a movement that is much bigger than ourselves; one which moreover carries within it the future of humanity.

To us, his comrades, he left word that a mass of notes, which he had set in order as best he could, be consigned to us with a view to us giving continuity, as we can, and as we must, to his robust and intransigent, and yet fraternal and friendly, life as a party militant.